Electrical piano-playing mechanism.



No. 822,881. PATBNTED JUNE 5, 1965, C. E. BRWN.

ELECTRICAL PING PLAYING' M'ECHANISM.

*PPLIGATIN Hman Hmm, 1905.

ATTRNEYS CARL E, BRUWN, OF COLUMBUS, UlllO.

ELECTRICAL PIANGFLAYING MECHANISM..

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 5. 1906.

Application lle June 1905. Serial No. 263,789,

Br il known tlm! l, UAM, E. BROWN, a citizvn of lho Unitod Stairs, rrsiding; ai Columbus, in tho county of Franklin mul State of (lhioJ lnivo ins'rnlrd ,om-lain new :ind useful lmprorvmvnts in Elorlrirzil Piano-Playing Mvrhnnism, of which thi lillowin;F is ."1y spoollirnlio'n.

My invi-nlion rrlnlos to n. now and useful improvmncnt in piano-playing mechanisms, and moro pnrtirnlm'ly Lo an vlnrLricnlly-opermrd piano-playing nwrl'innism.

Tho ohim-L of tho invmition is to providvA nn vivi-trirnlly-opvrntrd pinno-plnyrr of nimw plv rouslrurtion.

Another object ol' tho inrfnlion is to providv n. nwolmnism of {,ln. rhnrnolrr dosrrilwd that will ho simple, durable, sind ollicirnt nud ono in nlxirh tho sevornl parts will nolhe linhlv lo grt out ol' working ordrr.

lith the nhovo mul other ohjmts in virw the invvntion omissis-ils of tho novel ilrlnils of construction and operation, n profvrnhlv onihodimonl of'whioli is (inscribed in th:` ,sprrilirnliou sind illustrated in thv nrromlnlnying drawings, wherein Figuur l is n parl-inl rnnsvoro vrriicnl Sov-V tionnl virw of un ordinary piano, showing my moclninie-nn applied tlwroto. Fig, 2 is n plan vivir of tho muslo-shoot :nul onrrnling 'mochanism und the oirruibclosing lingers. Fig.

is apnirtinl longitudinal vfu'rlirnl sectionalV View of the lowor portion of' the piano, show# ing tho, huttvrics and elortromngnoin in @lovation and Fig. 4 is n trnnsrcrso sroliomil View through tlm tranfkir-honrd nnd :i portion of the muoio-shoot, Showing ono oli ille circuitcloning lingers in sido olovnl'ion. Y

ln bhv drawings ihr numvrul l drsignalcs an ordinary piano-msiiw, und tho numeral 2 the usual key-hollow on which nro fuif-ruined tho ko s 3, it.. boing nndorstood that the number o keys will drprnd upon illu. stylo of piano omployrd. AL their roar ends the koys carry tho usual cnpslnns 4 or other plinio-nr tion-oporntin devices. (li nourrie il; is to hr 'tlxldvrstood {.llnl, tho pianoforti* und nolion may bo o f any approved consum-,lion und thoreforo hns nolr boon illnslmlod in detail, n Sinflc string 5 und hammer ll inning Isllon'n.

l. will lirst, dosorilw tho vloot-roiniwnutic mechanism for o wrnling thv koys 3, willi-.his as follows: A sholl 7, loon lod wil-hin thu piumocasin r lmlow the lwy-l otlom 2, snpporlsn. )hlm illy' of Suiluhlo-nlvoliromngnvls H, ono eilig proviilod [or mich lgcy und located di `raining the pin lil on the lever l really therobenonlh. Un vnrh :umainrv il of the magnets l dinposv :1y vorlirnl pont, lll, connected :il ital up wr 0nd to a lf-vvr l2, carrying on its outer en( n vertical pin 13, :is rlenrly illustrated in Fig. l. The lovers l2 nrej pivolzed nraror their iornnrd ends lmiweon hrnrkots 14, extending downwnrdl)Y from the kolvvholtom 2. this ronstrnriion thv por-- linnn of' Elio lavoro oxtrnding; rmrwnrdly, logrthrr with tho pins i3, will hav* n irratrr weight than tlm rfomlxinod wright. of thv lorwnrd 'pori-loon of ho lavoro, the post lll and Lln armaturen .s films normally holding: tho iunnitvnros vlrvnod nud out of contiwt willi tho nnigzuils 'llnl pins lll @uch Curry nt their nimm' oude; vnlnrgvd Cushioiwd llendo iii, whirii conlnrl with tho bottoms of I ln. Roys il al llnir roar mid the lioys resting in llirir umm] poilil ion, so ihnt they muy hv nmnipnlnod withoul inirrl'mmnrv from lho pin?, and their hands. Yiwu the circuit is vlosod through any ono ol tho olor*lronuignoln, the armnturo J thorool will bo drawn down, thus E, which in lnrn nua-'ihrs the roar rnd ol" the key 3 npn'nrd, thus oprrming tho Pimm-action in the usual Ymanning the parts returning to their nounnl positions when the circuit is openrd in: broken For opera-ling the magnets and Closing tho rirffnilv, &c., l nrrnngr somo distmlcohvlow 'the shell' 7 n srrond shell 3G, on which lY nr- Yrango n suitable number of batteries IT. ltY

might no lloro stikt ed that While l have shown imita-.rios or dry cells l? any sniable electric genomtinrf ilevicr or devices mayv be omployed. y rrlcrring to Fig. 3 il will be noted that the neginvo poles 1S of the batteries are connected to n connnon wire or conductor 19, while the positive poles 20 are oonnocted lo n common wire or conduct-or 22. One of the binding-posts 23 ol' each of the oleotromngnclrs 8 is connected to the common conduct-or 32, whili from anch of the other binding'posts- 24 oi." the magnets a v'ire 25 is rnrrml upward to n tracker-boord j Enc-l1 ol' ihr wiros -Eis passed through the trackerhonrd und nlvtzwhod to n metallic contac bnll'on or philo 27, moontod on tho u por snrlnro ol' the said hoard, itY of course )enig nndrrstood that there is n bui-ton 27 for van-h wirr. 25, und linnn cnrh mngnut 8 and key 3. Tho ireuiivr-lonrd lli is preferably formed of wood Vor may other snitnhlv non-condurlinj man orinly llins nllowi'ng ihr buttons 2.7, whir i nro spin-vil npnrlf, lo lio insulated from vnrh olhcr. The common conducting-wire 19 'is carried up through the piano-casing and connected at its upper end to a metallic shaft 30, mounted in supports 29 at each end. Fixed on the shaft 3() are a plurality of circuit-closing fingers 28, preferably formed of metal, having downturned ends and s aced apart, so that each of the said ends wi l rest on one of the buttons 27 and when in such position close the circuit through the magnets 8. For raising the iin fers out of contact with the buttons 27 to acilitate the removal and insertion of the music-sheet I extend a rod 31 immediately beneath the lingers and supported at each end in swinging arms 32, pivotally afranged on the supports 29. To one of the swinfring arms 32 pivotally attach the end of 'a llink 33, which is pivotally connectedat its opposite end to the lower end of a handlever 34, ivotall sup orted at 35,.as indicated in ig. 1. Ey re'errin to Fig. 1 it will be apparent that when the iand-lever 34 is swung downward in the direction of the arrow its lower end will be swung upward7 causing the link 33 to in'ove upward, which inturn swings the arm 32 and the rod 3-1 upward, the latter contacting with the fi lfers 28, raising them abovI the contact-buttons 27. The ends ol' the fingers are raised far enough to allow the music-sheet 36 to be freely passed thereunder, and thus removed and inserted.

The music-sheet 36 is ol the usual construction and provided with the ordinary perfora tions 37, through which the ends of the firk gers will drop and contact with the buttons 27. The music-rolls 38 and 39 are suitably supported in the supports 29 on each side of the trackereboard and have their shafts ex,

tended at one end, so as to receive pinions 40, by which they are driven, it being understood that the music is wound from one roll onto the other and then rewound back on the frst roll, as is the usual custom. For impartin motion to the music-rolls I employ a s uitabn motor 41, preferably a spring-motor. The -motor 41 is rovided with an elongated drive-shaft 42, which owin to its length is capable of a limited latera outer end, at which point it carries a drivin pinion 43. The dr1ving-pinion is normal y ield in contact with the pinion 4() of the mu sic-roll 38, on which the music is Wound during the playing. A transmitting or reversing gear 44 is mounted on the opposite side of the riving-pinion 43 in close proximity thereto, but out of contact therewith. This gear 44 meshes with the gear 40 of the music-roll 39. From this it will be apparent thatfupon the motor 41 beim1r set in operation motion will be transmitteda by the driving-pinion 43 to the pinion 4U of the roll 38 and the musicsheet wound` i'ipon the same from the roll 39, which is free to turn. When the piece has been played and it is desired to rewind the music onto the roll 39, the hand-lever 32,

movement at its through which the shaft 42 passes below the pivot-point 35, is pulled downward in the direction of the arrow shown in Fig. 1. This` movement of the hand-lever will spring the shaft 42 outof contact willi the pinion 4U into mesh with the transmitting or reversing gear 44, which will transmit motion to the pinion 40 of the roll 39. The roll 39 is thus caused to rotate in an opposite direction from the direction of rotation of the roll 38, and thereby wind the sheet of music from the said roll.

Having described the construction and the operation of the several parts, I will now set forth the complete operation of my mechanisiri. The hand-lever 34, having been forced downward in the direction 'of the arrow shown in Fig. 1 simultaneously swings the rods 31 upward, thus elevating the ends ol the fingers 28 and springs the shaft 42, so as to throw the driving-pinion 43 into engagement with the reversing-gear 44. Q The roll 38 being'mounted in the suplports 29 always remains in osition. The ro 39, containing the sheet o music, is now placed in the supports, the fin ers 28 having been raised hi h enough to a ow its ready insertion. T e free end of the sheet 36 is now drawn across the tracker-board 26 in the usual manner and suitably connected to the roll' 38. T he music-sheet having been placed in position, the hand-lever 34 'is swung upward, pulling the link 33 downward, thus lowering the ngers 28 and allowing their curved ends to rest on the music-sheet and also throwing the drivin -pinion 43 into mesh with the pinion 40 of t e roll 38. The motor 41 is set in op` eration and motion transmitted to the roll 38, which begins to wind the music-sheet, drawing the same across the tracker-board, so that the perforations 37 'pass over the buttons 27. The fingers 28 rest on the paper, which being a non-conductor, separates them or holds them out of contact with the said buttons, thus keeping the respective circuits broken or` open until one of the perforations 37 passes under one of the fin ers 28, when the end of the samewill drop t rough the perforation and contact with the button 27 thus exposed. This will cause the eircuit'to be IOO IIO

closed through the magnet 8 with which the button is connected and the armature 9 of the magnet drawn down, thus causing the pin 13 on the end of the lever 12 to be swung' of the proper key 3' upward andd the end raised, so as to operate the piano-action and strike the correct note. The note is held and the key maintained in its'raised position until the end of the perforation 37 is encountered by the finger, 4which will ride out of the same, thereby being raised out of contact with the button 27 and the circuit broken or opened, thus leaving the parts free to assume their normal positions. In this manner several keys are operated and the correct notes ISO @sassi Y i Y t 5 sure as is necessarv iB pneumaticay-opf ated devss' sfsre any inossness @f ih i causes s Gf air, hasby I perfec' spesa? n ja dcvce. This mg Gf* tanins s @f ghe shes?, Uaflses f' zo amount @f y @ad tear and 7th@ sheet Soran os e'f-.mn zwng now fu {escrisf spy nsnt; what 191mm; :mei fasim to Le Pasnt, 1. In am Qeeea piane-playing; ism, a, uralty Qi elestvfomagnebs, Va; t, `s hda1-d swing clecica aantast-pnis w i,

forated musicfsheet aman ed travel `the trsczepbnan! s. pigra it); of viren 3o ing devices arranged su as ha res'mV nu the musk-Sheet in the path 0f siens and io @inse the Y, with the @mast-points, rolle v Tk .ing and traversing the music-sheet, revus 35 'ngfgeang connete to ons of *ehe sfsj' momr, anc' a shaft extendg fjm 31s im? cari-yin a pinion 0n its' free and, sa pinion normal y having cmeeton with the Uilm? Y rollerg in combinan with mess f s swing- 40 ing the fingers upward Qut l ci wh the music-simili omprsing m eeuding i under the ngers and a pvuts suppmt for g H mi eL mism? a; I 2.

ssffromagnets; means ri' Lon with the firmwares of the and he keys of the piano fm' Upstnage beneath the magnets having dec trnai esmlestcm herewth, a plmaltg-v of @L d ms adapted to mentaciyrasrmf?, a perforated musi x @uiwecn this l in@ fmcker-bww@r s, md exi-end- Jh alle ngers, pvotcd Firms supif the roei st each Qu, msrs fr sapmi fava-sing ibs n gest, @Ming mnnw he mlb Y ating keys, a. trackeboard, a battery 

